Government Publications > Documents Librarianship > Training Topics

Government Publications Training Topics

The University of Iowa Libraries
Reference and Instructional Services Department
Gov. Pubs. Training Topics
August 2004

Tour of Dept. / Storage

The Depository Programs (FDLP, Iowa, UN and EU)

FDLP Desktop http://www.gpo.gov/su_docs/fdlp/
Depository programs from Iowa, UN and EU http://www.lib.uiowa.edu/govpubs/docslib/nonus_dep.html

Classification Schemes

Explanation of classification schemes
- brief description of the SuDocs arrangement http://www.lib.uiowa.edu/govpubs/students/su_docs.html
Swank and UN classification systems http://www.lib.uiowa.edu/govpubs/docslib/swank_undoc.html
SuDocs tutorial online http://www.lib.msu.edu/publ_ser/docs/student/Manual/quizes/sudocsbasics.html
SuDocs exercise http://www.lib.uiowa.edu/govpubs/docslib/sudocex.htm

GP Reference Collection

List favorites http://www.lib.uiowa.edu/govpubs/docslib/ref_favorite.html
- RAND Exercise

Statistical Sources

Training - Pt. 1 , Pt.2
Lexis-Nexis Statistical, print indexes, and companion microfiche collection
Statistical Abstract of the U.S. (nuances)
Statistical Abstracts of “country name” (National Statistical Compendiums)
Topic-based compilations
FedStats http://www.fedstats.gov/
World Bank - Development Indicators and E-Library
Eurostat http://europa.eu.int/comm/eurostat/
SourceOECD http://www.sourceoecd.org/content/html/index.htm

Historic indexes

Poore (1774-1881), Ames (1881-1893), Checklist (1789-1909), Document Catalog (1893-1940), Monthly Catalog (1895-present)
- Monthly Catalog Exercise and Answer Key
Guide to U.S. Government Publications (older print and online http://www.gpoaccess.gov/cgp/index.html)
British Publications: Subject Catalogue and others
Helen Stewart’s Iowa State Publications checklist

Basic and Core Titles (federal)

Basic Collection http://www.gpo.gov/su_docs/fdlp/coll-dev/basic-01.html
Suggested Core Collection http://www.gpo.gov/su_docs/fdlp/coll-dev/index.html

State Resources

Lexis-Nexis State Capital http://web.lexis-nexis.com/stcapuniv
List favorite Iowa resources

Legislative Information (federal and state)

Core Documents of U.S. Democracy http://www.gpoaccess.gov/coredocs.html
The Legislative Process (House of Rep.) http://www.house.gov/house/Tying_it_all.html
GPO Access multiple database search http://www.gpoaccess.gov/multidb.html
Thomas http://thomas.loc.gov/
Lexis-Nexis Congressional http://web.lexis-nexis.com/congcomp
Major Studies and Issue Briefs (index in GPRef. Collection at Z1223 .Z7M22; GP software 675 for 1916 - 1998)
Guide to Law Online (mega guide) http://www.loc.gov/law/guide/uscong.html

Regulatory Information (federal and state)

Federal Register (description and tutorial) http://www.archives.gov/federal_register/tutorial/about_tutorial.html
Code of Federal Regulations (description and database) http://www.gpoaccess.gov/cfr/index.html
GPO Access, Lexis-Nexis Congressional (searching)
Guide to Law Online (mega guide) http://www.loc.gov/law/guide/uscong.html

Other Executive Resources

GPO Access http://www.gpoaccess.gov/executive.html
Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents http://www.gpoaccess.gov/wcomp/index.html
Public Papers of the Presidents http://www.gpoaccess.gov/pubpapers/index.html
U.S. Government Manual http://www.gpoaccess.gov/gmanual/index.html

Judicial Sources

Guide to Law Online (mega guide) http://www.loc.gov/law/guide/uscong.html

Census

Census Homepage http://www.census.gov/
American Factfinder http://factfinder.census.gov/home/saff/main.html?_lang=en
Census Holdings at University of Iowahttp://www.lib.uiowa.edu/govpubs/census/censmatl.html

Foreign Affairs Resources ( U.S. resources)

State Dept. Website http://www.state.gov/
Major State Department Publications http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/rls/dos/221.htm
Foreign Relations of the U.S. (description - http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ho/frus/ )
FRUS (searchable database - http://libtext-dev.library.wisc.edu/FRUS/ )
Treaties in Force
World News Connection http://wnc.dialog.com/

Foreign Collections

British Parliamentary Papers (department’s most comprehensive collection)
Parliamentary papers from other countries, including South Africa, Ireland, and Australia.
Materials from India and Pakistan

European Union

United Nations Materials

AccessUN

Cartographic and Spatial Data

Reference collection favorites
Helpful Hints for the Paperless Librarian http://magert.whoi.edu:8000/pubs/allen.html
Map Institute course description (Alice Hudson) http://magert.whoi.edu:8000/hudson.html
Map Librarianship: an Introduction by Mary Larsgaard

Current Issues

See "Recommended Reading" at http://www.gpo.gov/su_docs/fdlp/pubs/reading.html regarding:

Print on Demand proposal
Shared Repositories
Collection of Last Resort
Managing the Electronic FDLP Collection
National Bibliography of U.S. Government Publications
Digitization of the Legacy Government Documents Collection
GPO Reorganization

Source Material:

Cheney, Debora. The Complete Guide to Citing Government Information Resources: A manual for social science & business research. 3rd ed. Bethesda, MD: Congressional Information Service, Inc., 2002. (Ref. Z 7164 .G7 .C48 2002)

Herman, Edward. Locating United States Government Information: A guide to sources. 2nd ed. Buffalo, NY: William S. Hein & Co., Inc.,1997. (Ref. ZA 5005 .U6 H47 1997 & Supplement)

Hernon, Peter, et al. United States Government Information: Policies and Sources. Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited, 2002. (Ref. ZA 5055 .U6 U55 2002)

Morehead, Joe. Introduction to U.S. Public Documents. 6th ed. Littleton, CO: Libraries Unlimited, 1999. (Ref. ZA 5055 .U6 M67 1999)

Robinson, Judith Schiek. Tapping the Government Grapevine: The user-friendly guide to U.S. government information sources. 3rd ed. Phoenix, AZ: Oryx Press, 1998. (Ref. ZA 5055 .U6 R63 1998)